Underneath pictures of Factory Floorboards

A

Andrew

New member
Could somebody out there please take a picture of the bottom of their factory floor boards or point me to a link of same. I have searched the site and can find pics of homemade ones and installed factory ones but I want to see how the factory floor boards are supported underneath. I wish to attempt to make my own and I am looking for ideas.

Thanks

Andrew
 
Andrew, I don't think there are any pix on the site, at least I've never seen any of the underside of factory floor boards. I have seen them however, they are basically flat pieces of fiberglass :roll: with a lip all the way around, projecting at right angles to the flat surface. This raises them up off of the sole of the cockpit. In order to be level, that lip is higher on the centerline (maybe 2" or so) which tapers to about 1" on the outboard edges.

I was going to order some for my 22 (when I had it) but when I saw them in "person", they seemed cumbersome and I went with just dri deck which has pros and cons. Those you CAN find on the site.

Good luck

Charlie
 
Andrew":3a6mn3u2 said:
Could somebody out there please take a picture of the bottom of their factory floor boards or point me to a link of same. I have searched the site and can find pics of homemade ones and installed factory ones but I want to see how the factory floor boards are supported underneath. I wish to attempt to make my own and I am looking for ideas.

Thanks

Andrew
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Andrew- As I remember seeing them, Charlie's description is exactly as they are, just right angle extensions in fiberglass from the flat panels down to the hull, closed, of course, for strength, at the corners. I don't remember any mid-panel supports, but that might be a consideration to think about.

When you make your own, you'll have to figure out how to form-fit your floorboards to the contours of the hull, both athwartships and stem to stern in the cockpit. This may be the hardest part of the project.

This would be easy if you had a big contour gauge, but who's got one 4-6 feet long?

So what to do?

First, I'd try to bend heavy wire to fit the floor contours, then transfer those contours to cardboard to begin to make templates.

The templates can then be fitted to the floor itself to get them to match more perfectly. First trim with scissors or knife, then sand with sand paper to get them more exact.

Fit each one, then tape them together into a single unit, then use a tight string to draw level lines across them to get a level floor, then trim.

Once that's done, the templates can be used to complete the vertical supports to the floor, however you're going to support it.

There may be a better process to do this, but this is how would approach it with my experience. I have done some work of this type on sailboats.

Hope this helps with your planning process. It would be really convenient if you could get your hands on a set of finished floorboards to use as templates!

Have fun!

Joe. :teeth :thup
 
Andrew, a couple of people have made floorboards from plywood (top) and dimensional lumber (frames), and I believe that there are a couple of photos in someone's album.

Like Charlie, I wanted some of the factory glass floorboards until I saw them. Dri Dek works just fine for us.

Steve
 
Charlie is correct regarding the factory floorboard construction. I have the factory floorboards in Swee Pea; there is no center support. I have read about plywood home-made substitutes - I can't imagine that they would weigh less than the fiberglass ones, and if they are fiberglassed besides, they will weigh a ton.

I personally don't like Dri Dek; it's not a solid surface and traps dirt and ?. IMHO, the factory floorboards or similarly constructed ones are the way to go; they level out the cockpit. But I know the factory ones are pricey. If you have the ability to mold your own, with a non-skid surface, you may have an aftermarket business a brewing. :wink

John
Swee Pea
 
Thanks to all for the help and ideas regarding the floor boards. It would be nice to have a set to measure up or use for templates as this would speed up the process.
Also pictures of the undersides would give me a good visual idea of the runner/supports.
Hopefully I will run into somebody who has a set or posts some photos with maybe a measuring tape beside the support/runners.

Thanks
Andrew
 
Thanks John,
This would be appreciated and I look forward to seeing them. The toughest part will be designing the runners. There may be a means of mass producing them using a non-rusting light material like Trex. People may prefer to use their own home made boards and just acquire the runners. Will wait and see.

Andrew
 
Andrew,

If you look under " General Technical Discussions "and scroll down 16 headings you will find "New member First Project". The key to making them is contouring the sleepers correctly. I used a compass which worked great. This allowed the timbers to lay flat level with no wobble when walked on. Give me a call if you like and I can pass on some helpful tips ...360-598-4481

Sam
 
Andrew,

I build some last Fall. I used 3/4 exterior fir plywood for the deck. Underneath supports are made from 5/4 cedar decking, hand picked for tight grain and old growth, no knots.

I ran the sleepers, cedar, fore and aft and spaced them around 6" on center. Of course, I made 2 floorboards, port and starboard.

I first laid outside pieces so they were laying flat, thus 1 full inch of wood on deck against each side of cockpit, port and starboard. Then I laid 3 pieces across the full width of cockpit so they were level. Next, mark boards with a line each 6" for sleeper location. Next, got my little combination square and got on knees and put end of ruler part of square against deck, read measurement to bottom of each crosswise board at 6" on center locations. Wrote down all measurements. You will find there is a different measurement fore to after from deck to bottom of guide boards. I averaged out the measurements and then went to work cutting sleepers.

I took 2 pieces of cardboard and made templates for the plywood deck, after some cutting, I finally got the size needed. Cut out plywood and place each half in cockpit on guide boards for support and cut to fit.

To assemble, I used exterior wood glue that is waterproof and stainless screws countersunk into sleeper frame and also to attach plywood to sleeper frame.

To waterproof underside and top, I used a product called "Span Tex" waterproof deck coating for plywood decks. Use only on raw wood, not stained or treated, it won't stick. For top of deck, used Span Tex Roll Tex, which is a non-skid product. Both are rubber based and very toxic, so wear a respirator and use outside.

I will post pics soon of finished product. I spent around $100 on all materials and am very happy with results. Sure is nice to stand on a flat deck and out of water in cockpit when it rains or you are crabbing.
 
I have the factory floorboards in my 22 that have indoor-outdoor carpeting on them (is this the way they came from the factory?) Is there anything better than carpet for these factory floorboards? Just asking, I don't know yet whether I have a problem with the carpet.

Warren
 
There are some pictures in the Kingfisher album of cockpit and cabin flooring made from 1 x 2 mahogany which is readily available and can be stained and varnished to look like teak.

I concur with the comments above about the need to contour the cross frames to fit the floor, it is not a constant from front to rear and may not be equal from side to side. Also not exactly "square".
ie. it's a custom job but it looks good.

The factory fit moulding is as described and is very heavy. I gave mine to Tim F and built the mahogany version.

Merv
 
Grumpy":mj6shpy7 said:
The factory fit moulding is as described and is very heavy. I gave mine to Tim F and built the mahogany version.
Click to expand...

Someday I may do that also, thanks. What I am wondering today is if people have put anything other than carpet on the factory floorboards.

Warren
 
Grumpy":1wrqd2vc said:
The factory fit moulding is as described and is very heavy.
Merv
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I haven't shared that experience. Our floorboards (2005) are very easy to remove, lift and move around. I personally like them because they level out the deck, can be cleaned easily and removed for cleaning and give access to the deck for cleaning.

BTW, nice job on the mahogany floorboards Merv.

Peter
 
Peter,

Do you get alot of mold or green type growth under them in the off seasons. We get alot of rain up here and I am concerned about mold and growth under them. Maybe I should be considering an open style floor board for lots of air circulation...

Andrew
 
Doryman":1u2xufsw said:
I have the factory floorboards in my 22 that have indoor-outdoor carpeting on them (is this the way they came from the factory?) Is there anything better than carpet for these factory floorboards? Just asking, I don't know yet whether I have a problem with the carpet.

Warren
Click to expand...

Warren:

The factory floorboards did not come with carpeting on them; that must be an invention of some deranged mind :wink . They came with a rolled on rough texture. I can not imagine gluing carpet to them; water absorption, fish guts, soggy. The beauty of the fiberglass floorboards is that they provide an easy to clean, level surface that can be removed for heavy duty cleaning.

I do not find them to be extremely heavy; in fact they have always been quite managable. Unless installed as a factory option, they will be too expensive to ship.... unless some nice, close dealer is getting in a boat or two and they order a set and put them in the cockpit for delivery with a boat. :idea

John
Swee Pea
 
Andrew":h03h4yx4 said:
Peter,

Do you get alot of mold or green type growth under them in the off seasons. We get alot of rain up here and I am concerned about mold and growth under them. Maybe I should be considering an open style floor board for lots of air circulation...

Andrew
Click to expand...
It does get a bit dirty down there. More greenish growth than mold. Quite frankly, I need to clean the floorboards out before the season starts but it is very easy to do so. The floor boards are not thick, they are I believe hard plastic, perhaps fiberglass and it is the edges that conform to the concave shape of the deck. Therefore, they are not that heavy. I don't see a need to have an open style floor. If the floorboards get dirty, you just remove them and wash them.

Like I said above, I'm going up to the boat this weekend and I'll try to remember to take a picture of them. I actually like the floorboards and am glad we added those as an option.

Peter
 
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